At Last
by mangacrack
Summary: Hashirama isn't ready to say good bye just yet. But his time is running out. (Post Fourth Shinobi War)


The war is won. At least everyone around him acts like it, Hashirama notices. So Kaguya is gone, the fighting can stop and the brave shinobi are able to return home. A part of him is thankful that he could witness this fight, participate in it. Though he's dead and at peace with it, it's still mind boggling to see so many shinobi working together. It's a marvel because far to easily Hashirama remembers his childhood where everyone not born to your clan was suspicious and a potential enemy.

Yet there's a single regret Hashirama can't push aside. While Tobirama and Hizuren are dissolving, Hashirama uses all strength he possesses to remain in the world of living a little longer.

He can't turn away his eyes from Madara's fallen form.

Slowly Hashirama approaches the body. Thankfully no one takes notice, the living are to busy to celebrate their survival to care for the dead right now.

"You've fought well, my friend," Hashirama whispers and reaches out for Madara.

His heart twists when his hand goes right through. He's already a ghost, nothing more than a spirit still teetered to living world but not for much longer. Yet Hashirama fights for every second Death allows him to remain. It's likely that he'll never see Madara again so this is his last chance to say goodbye. Something he didn't get the last time.

Tears gather in his eyes and Hashirama bows his head, lets his hair fall into his face so no one may witness this private moment. It feels foolish to grieve. He's dead. So is Madara. He doesn't know what comes next. The only thing he still has are his memories. Years of fighting against this beautiful creature that couldn't even hindered by death itself to reach for the dream they once shared.

"I think you still won in the end," Hashirama sighs. "The villages are united, there's peace and this time it might even lasts. I wonder, did you know that they'd only see past their pride and their prejudge if they had a common enemy to fight?"

Madara doesn't answer but Hashirama can easily imagine his friend's tired smile. Of course he did. Madara turned himself, his name, his _legacy_ into a nightmare humanity could rally against. Did his friend knew how much the dream of peace they once shared together had cost him in the end? Hashirama wondered about that and was glad he was running out of time. He didn't want to know the answer.

If the loss of the Madara's Clan had it been worth. If Konoha was worth so many brave lives.

"You shouldn't linger or else you'll be stuck here, not able to move on and find the afterlife," a voice addresses him. When Hashirama looks up he spots Sasuke heading towards him.

The boy still looks ragged, worn down. He hasn't showered, washed or changed out of his clothes he wore in the battle. There is blood on his chest where Madara drove his sword through and countless other cuts add to the bruises. Hashirama doesn't need his experience as First Hokage to see that the last Uchiha should be anywhere but here.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't be here either hungry and tired as you are," the First Hokage says. He dares to use the first name.

They don't know each other well. Can't, born a century as they apart as they are. But last Uchiha has freed his soul from a prison, the belly of a Shinigami. Not only that he also controlled his wrath long enough to ask what is means to be a Shinobi. What it means to have a soul in a world that slaugthered your family on grounds of suspicion alone?

Hashirama never answered that question. Not really.

In Sasuke's case, he doesn't want to. He wishes to leave to the world behind knowing that Konoha was safe and at peace. That it isn't most likely to stay that way ... well, it's not his duty to care anymore.

"Sleep can wait," Sasuke says and looks from the First Hokage to the fallen body of his ancestor. "I need to burn Madara's body before anyone remembers that he's still here."

Surprise takes Hashirama's dead soul. Most emotions are beyond him already but he knows enough about the customs in the Uchiha Clan that _burning the body_ meant _a proper burial._ No Uchiha can sleep well knowing that there's still a corpse of his kin out there, becoming slowly one with the earth when the soul has to be returned to fire in order to find eternal rest.

"That's kind of you," Hashirama comments with a sincere expression and watches Sasuke crouch down to pick Madara up.

As heavy the body must feel Sasuke still doesn't groan or twitch the slightest. He only adjusts his grip and starts walking. Away from the other Shinobi celebrating their victory. None of them spare Sasuke a glance or a thought. Or the spirit that follows him.

"Uchiha Madara deserves a last rite. He shouldn't be left to rot here somewhere in the wilderness." Growling Sasuke adds, "Despite that I don't trust any of the Kage. It would be just like them to collect the body of a fallen enemy to harvest his secrets."

Unnatural eyes, one white and the other red, fixate the First Hokage and Hashirama is reminded of Madara once again. Sasuke look like him. The same fiery spirit burns in his soul, the same unwillingness to bend, to wilt or to move aside. As difficult as the Uchiha make it to live peacefully at their side, the same stubbornness now allows Sasuke to treat the body of his ancestor with respect. With care even, as much as Sasuke tries to hide it. But knowing the truth about the death of his family Hashirama could imagine easily how great the burden is for Sasuke to let go of his last relative.

When Sasuke lays Madara out on a rock and takes a deep breath to give him over to the fire he was born from, Hashirama says, "I'm glad that there's at least one person left in the world of the living that mourns him."

"I know," is the answer. Sasuke's voice is tight as if he has trouble to control his emotions.

Hashirama does him the courtesy not to look to closely. In his opinion tears and grief are a private thing. As shinobi they have to sacrifice so much in their life already that some things should stay sacred. Besides ... he's dead. There isn't anyone left in this world who he has to tell about Sasuke's devastation.

The last thing Hashirama sees before his spirit fades away is a grand ball of red fire rising to the sky.

 _Ah,_ is the First Hokage's last thought as he leaves Uchiha Sasuke behind, _now his soul is free at last._

* * *

It always disturbed me that they simply left Madara there after the fighting was over.

So I imagined that Sasuke went back at some point. Madara was an Uchiha and deserved to be treated as such. With respect, no matter what happened. Besides I can totally see that one Kage remembers at some point that there's still a corpse with a) the cells of the First Hokage b) a perfect set of Sharingan / Rinnegan laying around. No way that Sasuke is going to let that happen.


End file.
